all about us
by Silverflare07
Summary: "And as he twirls her, his heart swells in his chest because she's smiling and beautiful and he kind of feels complete and a whole bunch of other cheesy, made for rom-com feelings." The first song Austin writes and how it pretty much wrote itself. Auslly


Okay, well here's another one shot for you. Insert standard disclaimer here. I not only don't own _Austin & Ally_, but I also don't own _All About Us_ by He is We or _Smile_ by Uncle Kracker. I just really, really love all three of them.

This is dedicated to alternativexpurple on Tumblr. I'm not sure if she has a account, but I still want to dedicate this to her because she rambles about Auslly with me and introduced me to the song that this fic is really all about.

Enjoy!

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><p>"<em>Do you think you could show me?"<em>

"_Sure."_

It was a simple request really. She needed someone to teach her and while Trish and Dez both were good dancers, he was obviously the best of the group, so it made sense for her to go to him for help. And he never had been very good at refusing her. Especially when she was upset and the only way to get rid of the clenching in his gut was to make her _unupset_ as soon as possible. She wouldn't have even asked him if he hadn't mentioned it. So this was probably all his fault. No, that wasn't quite right. This wasn't his fault.

This was Dallas' fault.

If Dallas had just said yes to Ally's offer to dance. If Dallas had just explained to Ally that he couldn't dance. If Ally had just not looked so broken hearted as she stood off to the side and watched Dallas be completely oblivious to her pain. If Emilio had just shown up ten minutes earlier and he hadn't had the chance to see Ally, huddled small and sad underneath a table. If Trish had just put her foot down and not had a _quinceanera_ like she'd originally wanted, then maybe none of this would have happened.

When he'd tried to teach her to dance the day before, it had been so clumsy and awkward that he would probably have been able to ignore the sparks that leapt from where their hands connected and raced up his arm and went straight to his heart, kicking it into overdrive (they've hugged before, a couple times-_twice_-but it's just not the same as actually grabbing her small hand and wrapping it in his own). In fact, he'd so busy silently laughing at her (she's so_so_so important too him, but that's not going to stop him from laughing when she steps on her own feet), that he all but forgot about the fact that her hand fits perfectly into his own.

Ally is one of his closest friends and he knows just how bad friendships turned romantic can end. So it doesn't matter how beautiful he can admit to himself that she is (because, honestly, beneath her shy exterior is an absolutely gorgeous girl and Austin has always thought that). Or how she was the most talented, honest, caring, and amazing person he'd ever had the privilege to meet. He is not going to allow himself to feel anything but friendship for her, because losing her would be the worst possible thing that could happen to him.

Needless to say, the electricity that he'd felt at the simple contact was just not okay. And he'd done everything in his power to not think about it. He'd been pretty successful too. Until Trish's _quinceanera_. Until he's watching his best friend stand on the sidelines (why was she _always _shoved off to the side? He hated that), her eyes downcast and her whole posture screaming defeat. She wanted so badly to dance and he can't just sit there and not give her that chance.

Even if he isn't the one she wants to dance with.

And as he hobbles down the stairs of the stage he isn't thinking about electricity and sparks and the dangers of twirling his pretty (_beautifulgorgeous)_ partner around on the dance floor in a dress that makes her look like a movie star. He's only thinking about replacing the pain on her face with a smile. Because nothing brightens Austin Moon's world more than a genuine Ally Dawson smile. And because if anyone deserves a moment to feel like a princess, it's her.

As soon as their hands connect he feels the spark again. Only this time it's ten times stronger because he can feel the skin of her back against his other hand and it takes all of his willpower not let his hands (or his jaw) drop. Because right now is about letting Ally dance, not about the way both of his arms are tingling. She's much better at dancing this time around and he curses his luck. Not because he wants to see her humiliate herself in front of everyone at Trish's party, but because now there's no clumsiness, no awkwardness, to distract him from the way he's breath catches in his throat or the way he's feeling what he's pretty sure are butterflies in his stomach (he can't be sure, because, honestly, no girl has ever made him feel like Ally does).

And as he twirls her, his heart swells in his chest because she's smiling and beautiful and she smells _freaking amazing_ and he kind of feels complete and a whole bunch of other cheesy, made for rom-com feelings. He pulls her back in and realizes he's going to dip her, but dips are for kissing, especially when you're the only two people on the dance floor. But he _can't_can't_can't_, because she's Ally and he's Austin and he'd turned himself sweaty and orange just a few months ago in order to not mess up this amazing thing they have going. But damn it all if he doesn't _want to_.

Later on, as he scribbles lyrics on a sheet paper (some of which, might someday actually make an okay song) he realizes how grateful he is for that air horn going off when it did.

Because he loves Ally, but he almost might just _love_ her and he just doesn't think either of them are ready for that (this thing they have, it's too precious to risk breaking just yet).

-/-

It figures that of all the times that Austin has attempted to get his best friend/song writer/partner (she has so many labels, but honestly, Austin's pretty sure that _his everything_ is accurate enough) over her stage fright, it finally happens the one time he doesn't so much as even turn his eyes (set wide and pleading in a look that he most certainly _does not _practice when he's home alone) to her.

He's on _The Look_ and he's supposed to be singing a duet with one of the host's daughter, who is apparently a huge fan. He and Ally (well, mostly Ally, let's be honest) had spent the past week coming up with a new song since none of his other songs are really meant for more than one person and not at all in a typical girl's vocal range. It had taken most of the week to write and the rest of the week to make sure the other girl (her name was Laney, he reminds himself. It would be very bad if he accidentally called her the wrong name…) knew the lyrics and melody.

He's really excited about this performance because he loves the song and he loves imagining getting to sing it with Ally (which is why he has to be extra careful to not call _Laney_ the wrong name). And even though he doesn't get to sing it with his best friend, he remembers when they were writing it and acting like it was for the both of them. It's just another song on a long list that is all about _Austin&Ally_ and he's given up pretending that they aren't, because he doesn't even think he would be fooling Dez at this point (even Dez isn't clueless enough to go _aww_ at a kid breaking a violin).

The host whose daughter he's supposed to be singing with (her name he cannot remember to save his life) comes up to where he, Ally, Trish, and Dez are waiting off stage with sad eyes. Austin's heart sinks and he's pretty sure she knows what she's going to say before she even opens her mouth.

He's right. Her daughter woke up that morning with a terrible cold and is in no condition to be on TV and is especially in no condition to sing. She apologizes profusely, offering to get another song, one he can sing on his own, to the band. They still want him on the show and Austin agrees because, well he's not rich and famous yet and any positive publicity is a good thing.

So he turns to face his friends and asks which of his newer songs they think would be a good fit. Ally's face falls because she knows how much Austin has been looking forward to singing this new song (she thinks it's because it's the first song he's actually actively helped write-she's only partly right). She tells him to sing it anyways and he sighs and says he can't. It's true. The song is written to be sung by two people and Austin's only had a chance to partially memorize the lyrics that aren't supposed to be his own, because they were on such a time crunch. And it's not like they can just magically find a girl who is a great singer and knows all the words to a song that he's never sung in public before.

The audience starts to clap and they all realize it's almost time for Austin to go on stage. Ally shoves him in the general direction of the set and tells him to go ahead and perform the song. At his confused glance she also tells him not to worry. She's got Trish _and_ Dez with her and they will think of something. He's not sure he's entirely comforted by this, but he trusts Ally whole-heartedly, if nothing else, so he walks out in front of the camera when his name is called and grins with confidence as if he knows exactly what is coming.

(he doesn't have even the slightest clue and the mystery is kind of exhilarating, especially since he knows Ally is in charge of the surprise)

The interview goes exactly as expected. He answers every question and manages to throw Ally's name or a reference to the brunette in each and every answer he gives. All four of the shows hosts smirk at him, but he's been used to that for a long time (_Miami Music_ had captured a shot of himself and the real Ally and rumors about the two had cropped up from time to time since then), so it doesn't really phase him. When it's time for him to sing the hostess whose daughter was sick informs the audience that there is a change in plans.

That's when Austin stands up and informs them that, yes, there is a change in the line-up, but they'll still be getting to hear a brand new _Austin&Ally_ original. When all four hosts ask him how that's going to happen, he shrugs because that's honestly the best answer he has. The music starts to play and Austin, still completely clueless as to what's going to happen next, introduces the song as, _Smile_, and sings the first half of verse one, wondering who's going to pop out onto stage in the next fifteen seconds and sing with him.

The voice that sounds from behind him literally makes him stop and turn in shock. He's pretty sure this whole gig on _The Look_ must be a dream because Ally is walking up next to him, singing her heart out. She looks beyond pale and keeps her eyes on Austin the entire time they sing, but she doesn't mess up even a single harmony and Austin can't believe that what he's been imagining for over a year (especially with this song) is actually happening.

They finish singing and are rewarded with what might be the most enthusiastic applause Austin has ever heard in his entire life. He grabs his best friend and pulls her too him without a second thought because she is amazing and just faced her biggest fear just so he could sing the song he really wanted to (even though they had more than enough solo songs for him to sing). She hugs him back until one of the host's voice breaks the moment and the reality of her situation hits her. She makes a small "eep!" that he's pretty sure only he can hear before running towards Trish and Dez and away from the cameras.

He just turns back to the audience and beams, announcing her name like it's a grand prize he's won (which, it sort of is _andhasbeen_ since day one).

Long after they're back in Miami, Austin watches the video of their performance and can't help but think that, even though she was doing it so she wouldn't be overwhelmed by her stage fright, it was absolutely one hundred percent appropriate that she _didn't_ take her eyes off him, because he _couldn't _take his eyes off her.

Also, like he's said before, they aren't fooling anyone. That song was by them, for them, and about them (regardless of how much anyone might or might not want to read into it).

-/-

At twenty-five Austin and Ally both find themselves back on the _Helen Show_. They've made several different appearances on this show, and others, but this was the first show they were on _together_ (even if it did end in disaster) and they both feel it's only appropriate that they're back on it for this.

Austin is debuting the first song he's ever written completely on his own (well, the first _good_ song he's ever written completely on his own). And he's really, really excited to finally have something that he can be proud of (he's proud of all his accomplishments, but this feels bigger because it's one hundred percent his own work). It took him a _long_ time to write this song though, so he's glad that Ally still wants to write songs for him. But this one is important because it's about _Austin&Ally _in a way that none of the other songs quite were. That is, this song is so clearly about them that even the fans who want Austin to love them and _only_ them can't deny that he's talking about anyone but Ally (or at least, they won't be able to once they hear it).

Helen greets them like old friends (which in a way they are) and asks all about Austin's career and he's planned national tour. She doesn't mention anything about his newest song until just before he's about to perform it. She only asks if he's ready to knock her audience out of their seats one more time. He grins cockily because, well _duh_, that's part of the reason he's here after all. He and (to the surprise of everyone) Ally stand up and make their way over to the dance floor area that Helen had made sure is clear.

Once the audience quiets down a little he announces the name of his new single, _All About Us_, as the music starts to play. He shoots Ally a smile and she grins back, looking absolutely stunning. He's only slightly nervous about putting his own words out there for the world to hear and at Ally's smile all of that melts away, because he only sees _AllyAllyAlly_ and nothing else matters. He starts to sing.

"_Take my hand.  
>I'll teach you to dance.<br>I'll spin you around,  
>Won't let you fall down.<br>Would you let me lead?  
>You can step on my feet.<br>Give it a try,  
>It'll be alright.<em>

Ally takes a deep breath (her normal performing ritual) before her voice blends in with his perfectly.

"_The room's hush, hush  
>And now's our moment.<br>Take it in, feel it all and hold it.  
>Eyes on you, eyes on me.<br>We're doing this right."_

They step a little closer together and Austin reaches out and grabs her hand. He can't keep the happy smile of his face, because it's Ally and she's beautiful and makes him feel like he's never felt before and he's been writing songs in his heart for her for years and it's about time he finally sang one out loud.

"_Cuz lovers dance when they're feeling in love.  
>Spotlight shinning, it's all about us.<br>It's all about us.  
>And every heart in the room will melt.<br>This is a feeling, I've never felt.  
>It's all about us."<em>

He steps back, giving Ally her time to shine. She's still more nervous about being on stage than he is, but she's come along way from the shy fifteen year old who couldn't even sing in front of cute little stuffed animals.

"_Suddenly I'm feeling brave.  
>I don't know what's gotten into me<br>Or why I feel this way.  
>Can we dance real slow?<br>Can I hold you, can I hold you close?"_

He steps back next to her, rejoining their hands.

"_The room's hush, hush,  
>And now's our moment.<br>Take it in, feel it all and hold it.  
>Eyes on you, eyes on me.<br>We're doing this right._

'_Cuz lovers dance when they're feeling in love.  
>Spotlight shinning, it's all about us.<br>All about us.  
>And every heart in the room will melt.<br>This is a feeling I've never felt.  
>It's all about us.<em>

"_Do you hear that love?  
>They're playing our song.<br>Do you think we're ready?  
>And, oh, I'm really feeling it."<em>

He shifts them fluidly into a slow dance as the bridge repeats several times before finally flowing into the chorus for a final time. It's not unlike the dance they shared at Trish's _quinceanera _so many years ago, complete with the sparks that make his heart race and the butterflies that tell him he's absolutely crazy about the girl he's twirling. He dips her just as the music starts to fade away and this time he doesn't even pretend like he doesn't want to. He leans down and presses his lips gently against hers. (they are on national TV so they have to show some decorum).

They break apart to applause but Austin finds it hard to focus on anything but the way Ally's brown eyes are sparkling at him, like he's everything she's ever wanted. He's eyes must be sparkling too, because she is definitely everything he's ever wanted. They return to their seats and Helen looks like she might have been getting teary eyed.

Now that they've both impressed America with their newest song, Helen starts asking all kinds of questions. The most important being why Austin had told them early that it was such an important song to him. He tells her the truth, without even a trace of hesitation. It's important for two reasons. The first being that it's the first song he's ever written entirely on his own. The second being that it's about the single most important person in his entire world.

He raises Ally's left hand to his lips as he says this and kisses it softly, letting Helen, the audience and the cameras catch the engagement ring that sparkles on her finger.

Helen smiles and tells him honestly that it might be one of the best songs she's ever heard to which Ally agrees and Austin actually feels himself blush at the praise.

(but he figures it probably should be an amazing song. it's been all but writing itself for the past ten years)

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><p>Well, there you have it! And yes, I do realize that <em>Smile <em>isn't actually supposed to be a duet, but for the sake of this story, let's just pretend. Kay? Kay! Oh, and just in case anyone didn't get it, _The Look _is supposed to be a parody of _The View_.

Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think. Reviews make my day!


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